LONDON—British Prime Minister Teresa May called a general election seeking to strengthen her hand as her country looks to exit the EU.  For an election of such supposedly high stakes, things here in London seem oddly languid.

It's odd, in the week I've been here, the subject of the election hasn't come up once.  Not in the pubs around Westminster, not as idle chatter in the Underground.  Not one scrap of overheard gossip has had anything to do with the election.  Not in Greenwich, not in Kew.  Not in Chelsea, and not in Hammersmith.  Not at Conrad Black's old haunt on the Isle of Dogs, nor in the cafe's in The City.

Not once while I've been out and about this week — excluding the stretches on the tube when I've taken a nap — have I overhead a breath of words like "Corbyn," or "Brexit," or "May," or even "election."

Which is a bit weird, yeah?

But it's a strange election to begin with.  A recent poll showed some 36 per cent of people who voted for the UK to stay within the European Union would vote Conservative in the election.  The contradiction there is hard to wrap my brain around.  That such a large chunk of the people who wanted to stay in the EU would back the party who wants to take the country out of the EU is, well, different.

Maybe this is because the British are tired of going to the polls.  It's been referendum, after election, after referendum, after election for several years running.  The attitude is probably best summed up by Brenda, who when told by a BBC reporter an election call was on the way, shifted quickly, and hilariously, from disbelief to exasperated dismay.

Then again, perhaps the malaise is the fault Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Corbyn's position flipped from flaccid support for Remain to pro-Brexit, but one that's better for the workers, fairly quickly.  So, it's a bit of a tough spot for him to be in now, fighting an election on the same side — but different — of the central issue.

But, on the other hand, he has promised to make hospital parking free.

Meanwhile, the Tories have to keep up the idea that an exit from the Euro Zone would be painless.  Which is a bit of a pickle, because that seems to be mostly a hope.

To illustrate this problem, look at May's business secretary, Greg Clark.  On Tuesday, Clark found himself bumbling around when pressed to explain how the government would cut the net migration to below 100,000, but not do any damage to the industries that rely on such skilled workers.  Clark contended that once Britain leaves the EU it will have full control over its migration, and will be able to make its own immigration policy.

The trouble here is the UK already has full control over immigration from places outside the EU.  And last year, the government — the Tory government, natch — brought in 162,000 skilled migrants, according to the Evening Standard.  Already blowing past the 100,000-person goal post.

No matter, the Tories still hold an enormous polling lead, and details like this haven't probed to be a stumbling block yet.

Which brings us back around to the lack of, well, anything about this election in the city.

The contrast seems striking compared to the din of doom the French election produced, as proto-fascist Marine Le Pen came remarkably close, considering, to the French presidency.

Now Britain is about to elect the government that will put them through the most consequential years this island nation has faced in many years.  Perhaps the saturation of "Keep Calm and Carry On" memorabilia and all it's many, many, many mutations have been taken too much to heart.  I'd expected to hear something by now, like the distant rumble of an approaching train as you press your ear to the rail.

With so much hanging in the balance, there's still time for things to pick up.  The election is still a month away.  But time grows short.  And whether it can be heard or not, the train approaches.

Photo Credit: The Telegraph